The Labor enquirer., 1887-05-07
From Les Mlserables.


The collision of young minds has this
admirable thing about it, that the spark
can never be foreseen or the lightning di-
vined. What will shoot forth presently no
one knows. The burst of laughter is
heard, and at the next moment seriousness
makes its entrance. A stern thought,
which strangely issued from clash of
words, suddenly flashed through the med
Icy in which Grantaire, Bahorel, Prou-
vai.e, nn-suvt, oosALafarra and Cnurfeyrac
were blindly slashing and pointing. How
is it that phrase suddenly springs up in
conversation, and underlines itself at once
in the attention of those who trace its As
we have just said, no one knows. In the
midst Of the general confusion Bossuet
concluded some remark he made to Com
beferre with the date, June Is, 1916,
Waterloo"
At this name of Waterloo, Marius, who
had been leaning over glass of water, re-
moved his hand from under his chin, and
began looking intently at the company.
"Pardieu!' Courfeyrac exclaimed Par
bteu at this period was beginning to grow
out of fashion). "That number eighteen
is strange, and strikes me, for it is Bona
parties fatal number. Place Louis before
and Brumaire behind, and you have the
mans whole destiny, with this expressive
peculiarity, that the beginning has its heel
gybed by the end"
Enjolras who had hitherto been dumb,
now broke the silence and said:
"Courfeyrac, you mean that the crime
is urged by the expiation."
This word crime exceeded the measure
which Marius, who was greatly affected by
this sudden reference to Waterloo, could
accept. He rose, walked slowly to the
map of France hanging on the wall, on
the bottom of which could be seen an
island in separate compartment; he
placed his finger on this and said:
Corsica, small island, which made
France very great"
This was the breath Of frozen air; all
broke off, for they felt that something was
about to begin. Bahorel, who was assum-
a victorious attitude in answering Bossuet
gave it up in order to listen; and Enjol-
ras, whose blue eye was fixed on no one
and seemed to be examining space
answered without looking at Marius:
France required no Corsica to be great
France is great because she is France
qltdi nominor ieo."
Marius felt no desire to give way; he
turned to Enjolras, and his voice had q
strange vibration, produced by his inter
nal emotion.
Heaven forbid that should diminish
France; but it is not diminishing her tc
.amalgamate Napoleon with her. Come
let us talk; am newcomer among you
but confess that you astonish me. Where
are wef who are wei who are your who
am II Let us come to an understanding
about the emperor. hear you call hin
Buonaparte, laying stress on the u, lik,
the royalists, but must tell you that my
grandfather does better still, for he says
'Buonaparta.' l fancied you young men
but where do you keep your enthusiasm
and what do you do with its Whom d,
you admire, if it is not the emperor an,
what more do you want! If you will no
have that great man, what great maj
would you haves He had everything, b,
was complete, and in his brain was tn
cube of human faculties. He made code
like Justinian and dictated like Cesar; hi
conversation blended the lightning O
Pascal with the thunder of Tscitus; h
made history and wrote it. and his bulle
tins are Iliads; he combined the figures o